When I Escaped

Chapter 4

"Aba good morning Miss Julie at napaka aga pa nito para sa next class mo." bati ng bio professor ko."Why are you late and why are you not here in class yesterday?"

Ay oo nga pala. Hindi na ako bumalik sa school dahil nahimatay ako. Pero ano na naman ba ang magiging palusot ko?

"Ummm. Mainit kasi sir, nahilo lang at 'yon umuwi nalang ako." sabi ko habang papunta sa seat ko.

"Julie remember, you're a scholar at yung grades mo unti unti ng bumabagsak, kung pinapapabayaan mo lang maraming estudyante ang gusto ng slot and don't ever skip classes again." Ay nako, ang aga aga pa para magsermon. "Sit down with your partner" he added.

Edi waw.

Sanay naman akong walang kasama. Kapag sinasabi nila na find a partner for group tasks, nag iindividual na lang ako.

"Wala ka nanamang partner Julie?!" Nilingon ko, si Ella. Ang papansin kong classmate. Hindi ko alam kung bakit palagi niya akong pinapahiya. "Kawawa ka naman"

I rolled my eyes. Tskk. Hay Ella, maganda ka naman sana, kaso lang palagay ko may mga butas yung utak mo at napakakitid. Cheerleader siya, matangkad, maputi at makinis, kaya lang walang magawa kundi manira.

"She's my partner." sa pinakalikod nangaling yung boses.

Lahat ay lumingon.

"What?!"Ella was shocked and everyone else is murmuring.

"Gerl go with Travis daw oh." guni ng baklang kong kaklase.
I don't know if I should call him ay her pala, Dylan o Dynah. Last year lang kasi sabi niya tawagin na siya naming Dynah. Even though he's gay, he's friendly.

I sat beside Travis.

"You're welcome." he whispered.

I eyed him. "I need an explanation." sabay taas ng kilay.

"Julie naman, absent ka kasi kahapon so I was thinking maybe I could pick you as my partner."

"Why didn't you tell me last nig-"

He cut me off. "Alam ko kasi na mag aabsent ka naman kapag nalaman mo."

"So shall we start?" binigyan niya ako ng ngiting nakakatuwa.

I don't like him though, It was just nice for someone to care about you.

Hinahanap ko ang lab gown ko pero naiwan ko pala sa bahay.

"I can't work with you because my head is aching so bad, bye" I told him at naka ngisi.

I began to stand up when he grabbed my arm and he handed me an extra lab gown and I was surprised.

"You are welcome again." he smiled. What he said after shocked me. "Crush mo ba ako, palagi ka kasing nakatulala sa akin?"
As he laughs hysterically.

Palagi ba akong nakatulala?

I flared my nose at parang may lumalabas na apoy.

Gago pala to eh

"Sira ulo, mukha ka kayang bakulaw." I did not look at his reaction. "Akala ko bakla ka." biro ko and I tried my best not to laugh but HAHAHAHAHA.

It feels so nice laughing especially when it's your joke.

He stared at me and laugh. "You're really funny and I like this side of yours." But he began to be serious again. "Pero hindi ako bakla"

Sabay kaming tumatawa.

We work together in determining the different body systems of a frog. Nagulat ako, matalino pala itong si Travis at kamukhang kamukha niya talaga yung sister niya na si Tracey.

Tracey Romero graduated as a salutatorian. She is very beautiful and kind, hindi ko naiintindihan kung bakit namatay siya. It was summer this year, the news spread like a wildfire. Sabi ng mga magulang niya may sakit daw siya.

I looked at Travis. How did he managed to become so positive sa mga nangyayari? Ganon lang ba kadali sa kanya mag move on sa pagkamatay ng sariling kapatid? I envy him, my father died 4 years ago and I never forget about him, his face, his voice, everything.

Parang may tumatawag sa akin.

"Julie, Julie hello?" he said na parang nagtataka "Nakatulala ka naman."

I just smiled.

At pagkatapos namin ng activity niligpit namin ang lamesa.

"You know what Julie, I never ask an apology for what I did to you for the past years, I was an asshole back then." tugon niya at talagang seryoso siya. "I'm so sorry."

"That is all I wanted to hear, thank you but you're still an asshole." I laughed.

He also laughed.

"Lunch?" Travis asked.

Next thing I know I was sitting with him in the cafeteria. It nice to have a companion.

At syempre, maraming namang babaeng nag chichismisan.

"Paano nangyari yun? Baka pinainom niya si Travis ng gayuma."

"Ginagamit lang naman siya o baka pinagpustahan"

"Aba ang mangkukulam at ang prinsipe ay magkasama.

I heard them. All of it.

I looked down.

"Do not mind them Julie, they're just jealous because you're beautiful." I was surprised when he said this.

"No it's not like that Trav maybe they're right." seryoso kong sinabi sa kanya.

"Julie please, you need to trust me. I wanted to be a friend, I wanted to help you."

I looked at him quickly. "Anong ibig mong sabihin? Help me from what?"

"Help you from everything"

I don't know what he's saying but I don't want to mess this up.

Before I could talk, dumating yung mga kaibigan ni Travis, including Connor.

"Travis I really need to go, tatapusin ko pa yung assignment sa biology."

I was about to stand when Connor talked.

His voice was raspy and cold. "Look Julie, I'm sorry sa ginawa ko noon, I was immature and stupid" he smiled.

Almost everybody changed except me maybe, hindi pa ako maka move on sa lahat na mga nangyayari. It's been years and I never changed well maybe I learned to forgive.

"Yes I forgive you but I really need to go." tugon ko

Bigla akong hinabol ni Travis. "Wait, we're cool right. I mean we're friends?"

Huminga ako. "Trav, yes we're friends but don't expect me to trust you so easily."

He smiled. "I'll earn it."